Ebizo - A New Champion

This evening we'd been out shopping and all that wandering had got us hungry. We had some chicken at home to bbq but neither of us was willing to wait. To be honest we were a little unenthused about everything by this stage, tired and hungry we were looking for an easy fix. But then when we jumped off the bus and were greeted by a giant witch projected onto our building something changed and we were ready for a mini adventure.  Wil, of course, was keen for some sushi and this time I was able convince him that trying somewhere new was a good idea - our change in mood had given us a new wind and a bit of a wait for a table didn't seem so terrible.  As luck would have it we arrived little later and so a table right in the window was waiting for two.

As soon as we sat down we began to smile and Ebizo began to work its magic on us. Our window table gave us prime people-watching opportunities which is always great, and we were served hot towels to clean up with before our meal started which was a rather impressive touch.  Tea was not served on arrival and I was at first disappointed by this, but when I ordered the tea it arrived in a very funky ceramic mug and my very own teapot - perfect especially for someone (like me) who enjoys their tea! 

Opening the menu we both squeaked in excitement and struggled to chose which sashimi to start with.  We opted for the sockeye salmon and albacore tuna which were both melt in the mouth and delicious. We then spied the appetizer menu which we don't often pay much mind to and the venison tataki jumped right out at me.  My father is a keen hunter and I've grown up with venison, but never before ordered it in a restaurant. Tonight I was not disappointed. It was so tender and so flavourful, the marinade complimenting the meat and enhancing its natural gaminess just the right amount. Wil said he would give up the sushi, order several servings of the tataki and be satisfied. It was that good.

Apologies for the shaky photos, tonight's meal was not premeditated and so I had just the iPhone on hand. Then I was just so excited by this dish I couldn't keep still

But of course the sushi was the main event and our platter arrived soon after.  For the quality of ingredients I was well pleased with the prices at Ebizo - most rolls were between $4 and $5 which  is on the less expensive side of standard for this town - and for that reason we ordered five to share. That and Wil was hungry, but to be honest when is he not hungry? We chose the spicy tuna roll which is a regular for us and this was one of the best I've tasted with real kick. At the end of the meal, as my last piece sat awaiting my chopsticks Wil did his best sad face until I gave in and offered it to him. I was full to bursting anyway.  

We also chose a yam tempura roll which was excellent - my favourite part is the crunchiness of the tempura batter in comparison to the creamier texture of the other sushi choices on our plate. A vegetarian option also helps keep the prices reasonable when ordering several dishes. Next up was a dynamite roll but this wasn't so stand out so I think we'd skip it next time, though to be fair it was next to the spicy salmon and avocado which was my fave this evening so it probably didn't stand a chance.  This salmon sushi not only had the freshest fish I've had in a roll in a long time, it also had super creamy avocado and a nice crunch from some sesame seeds which added to a very handsome looking roll indeed.  I could order this roll and a miso for lunch and be done.  There's times when I wish I worked downtown and this thought was one of those times. Our last choice was Wil's favourite and the signature roll at Ebizo. The house roll is salmon, salmon, more salmon, and some roe. And damn it's good. 

We will most definitely be back to Ebizo, and sadly I think Azuma has lost its crown in our books.  There may be many other Japanese restaurants yet for us to try in this town, but I have to say I don't think we'll be trying them anytime soon. We've fallen in love hard and fast all over again and Ebizo will certainly be top of our list for a while.